Wednesday 29 April 2009 19.05 EDT
First published on Wednesday 29 April 2009 19.05 EDT

Notre Pere was the easy winner of the Guinness Gold Cup, the feature race, here, but it was a horse who did not jump a single obstacle who grabbed most of the attention. Dunguib, the Champion Bumper winner at Cheltenham in March, followed up by nine lengths in the Irish equivalent and is as short as 3–1 for Supreme Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham in nearly 11 months' time.

It seems a ridiculous price, but few horses have the raw ability to canter away from a high-class field as Dunguib did here. His potential is immense, and as yet untapped over timber, giving Philip ­Fenton, his trainer, no end of possibilities to contemplate over the summer.

Dunguib was a little uneasy in the market before yesterday's race, perhaps as a result of the going, which was soft to heavy by the off. It did not bother him at all, though, and from the moment he hit the front under Brian O'Connell the punters who had sent him off at 9–10 knew their money was safe.

"He'll have a good holiday," Fenton said, "and he should be a lovely novice hurdler next season. He does it all on the bridle, but when you do squeeze him up there is a reserve there and he does pick up. The owners have had great fun out of him and I don't think he would be for sale. All being well we will go back to Cheltenham for the Supreme Novice Hurdle. He's the real deal."

Notre Pere's chance in the Guinness Gold Cup increased with every millimetre of rain at Punchestown and he was a 7–4 chance by the time the field set off for the Grade One event. Jim Dreaper's chaser travelled like a winner throughout and was clear turning in before staying on to beat Schindlers Hunt by 14 lengths.

His trainer, whose father saddled Arkle to win three Gold Cups, will now look towards next year's Cheltenham Festival and hope for a wet winter. He will also ensure a vet removes a small piece of birch embedded in Notre Pere's leg since his victory in the Welsh National in December.

"The plan now is to win a Gold Cup with him," Dreaper said, "but then that's the plan with every horse and you go through lots before you get one that's any good. He would have a chance on heavy ground, but he won't beat the really good horses on quick ground because he's not quick enough." Boylesports introduced Notre Pere at 20–1 for the Gold Cup.

The Midnight Club looked like a chaser in the paddock before the stayers' novice hurdle, and could be over fences within weeks after staying on from what looked an impossible position to justify 7–4 favouritism. He traded at 54–1 on Betfair after jumping the second-last, but Emmet Mullins, riding for his uncle, refused to concede defeat. He still looked booked for third at best jumping the last, but The Midnight Club kept galloping as Sam Adams and Healys Bar faltered and came between horses to win going away.

"I think he could be a Grand National horse one day," Willie Mullins said. "He loves soft ground, is a natural jumper and relishes a trip."